Rock and a Hard Place

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-12-2003
Rock and a Hard Place
1524
Thu, 11-20-2003 - 10:45am

There's something on this board that has been bothering me, and I hope I can articulate it.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 11-26-2003 - 4:01pm

"Kids are ushered through. Encouraging this type of comparisons at such an early age is absolutely counter productive."


You mean that children in your school system are promoted regardless of whether they have mastered the skills necessary to move to the next grade.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-1998
Wed, 11-26-2003 - 4:01pm

Okay so what if he's too challenged by that peer group...does he give up and not try to do his best because he is constantly compared to people who are brighter, stronger, faster than he is so now is discouraged?


Okay so what if he's not challenged by that peer group....does he slack off in fear of being labeled to smart, too fast, too strong because now he's bored.


OR do you encourage the child to look within themselves and to compete with himself to be the best that he can be, to continue to progress at his rate and speed in learning?

PumpkinAngel

PumpkinAngel

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-28-2003
Wed, 11-26-2003 - 4:02pm
That's true. When I was in elementary school, we were all tested at the beginning of the school year to determine which reading and math class we'd be assigned to. I'd be assigned to above my grade in some and below in another. It didn't put "shame" in me or my parents. I just worked to catch up on the areas that I wasn't so good at. That, to me, is much better than being bored in a class or being too overwhelmed.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 11-26-2003 - 4:03pm

"I don't think children have to be taught how to be competitive at the age of 5 or 6 in order to be able to be competitive later on in life. "


Guess what?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 11-26-2003 - 4:04pm
Ds' buddy's parents should be made aware that he struggles with letters/reading, in the absolute and in comparison to his age group. If it continues, they might want to have him tested.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 11-26-2003 - 4:05pm
If it's more income, it increases your SES.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-29-2002
Wed, 11-26-2003 - 4:05pm
I think I know what you mean, but I still think a single class is far too small a sample size to give much meaningful or useful information. I think a more effective thing to do would be to get a sense based on several years' experience with many children what the expectations should be for children at a particular age and use that as a basis of discussion with parents about how their child is doing meeting those expectation..what help they might need to meet those expectations or extra material that would be good for them because they are already exceeding those expectations. The comparisons shouldn't be based on specific children in a specific class, it should be based on an overall sense of what can be expected.

Laura

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-28-2003
Wed, 11-26-2003 - 4:05pm
Why do you see the purpose of the chart as to "rub in the faces of those less academically inclined?"
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-1998
Wed, 11-26-2003 - 4:05pm

Reminds my of the catty mothers I ran into during my sahm days at Gymboree class, you know the ones who said things like....


"What do you mean he's not walking at 12 months...mine just completed the Boston Marathon" or


"What do you

PumpkinAngel

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-02-2003
Wed, 11-26-2003 - 4:06pm
But I am trying to explain to you that the teacher knows this information without presenting it as a visual aide at parent teacher conference. She knows there is a wide range of ability and skills in the K classroom. She expects that there will be. Her compiling a silly chart for parents to evaluate themselves by, will not ensure that my child does not tune out and become bored. My knowledge, and the teacher's knowledge that he requires more of a challenge should address that issue.

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